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Lydia Bishop trial: Frantic plea to call ambulance

A NURSERY employee told a jury how a colleague ran towards her with three-year-old Lydia Bishop in her arms calling for an ambulance after the youngster was found on a slide.

Chloe Moses, an early years practitioner at the York College nursery, said a search began after she realised the little girl had not had her snack on the afternoon of September 17, 2012.

It was Lydia’s first day at the nursery and Miss Moses called to Sophee Redhead, who was outside attending to another child, to send Lydia inside for it.

She told Leeds Crown Court that Redhead replied she thought Lydia was inside because she had come out without her wellies on and she had sent her inside to put some shoes on.

Miss Moses said there was no sign of Lydia inside and told Redhead that.

By then her colleague was looking around and began walking towards the slide area. She also began to head in that direction and could see something on the slide, but could not make out what.

She then saw Redhead run up the slope to the slide and when she came down she was carrying Lydia and shouting “Call an ambulance. She’s not breathing’.”

Miss Moses said she ran for help and shouted to other staff to call an ambulance. She took the children she had been looking after to another room and left them with staff.

The jury has heard Lydia was found with a rope around her neck on the slide. Medical staff were not able to resuscitate her. Redhead, 25, of Wenham Road, Foxwood, York, denies manslaughter through gross negligence. York College denies a breach of health and safety rules.

Miss Moses agreed staff were well aware that children should not play on the slide or with ropes while unsupervised.

Nursery assistant Matthew Parkin agreed he was the last adult near the top of the slide and the rope was left out in case others wanted to play with it.

Home Office pathologist Nigel Cooper told the jury Lydia’s death was due to pressure on the neck.

Robert Smith QC, prosecuting, asked: “If prompt action had been taken to resuscitate Lydia by way of releasing the pressure of the rope around the neck, let us say within a few minutes, in this case what do you consider would be the likely outcome?”

Dr Cooper replied: “During the first few minutes it is likely that if prompt action had been given there would have been a full recovery.”

But he said Lydia suffered brain damage and from ten to 15 minutes after the incident started there would have been no chance of recovery.